A boy has admitted attacking our police dog Stark with a machete – as brave Stark prepares to make his comeback next week on a specialist firearms training course.
The 16-year-old – who is too young for us to legally name – appeared in Birmingham Youth Court yesterday (1 Dec) where he pleaded guilty to possessing a bladed weapon and causing unnecessary suffering to a service animal.
He was bailed and is set to be sentenced on 23 December.
The court heard how the teenager struck three-year-old Stark up to 20 times with a rusty machete and that handler PC Paul Hopley feared the worst for his courageous sidekick.
Stark suffered nasty cuts to his face, with one blow narrowly missing an eye, but thankfully he’s making a good recovery at home and is set to return to work next week.
PC Hopley said: “It’s been a hard couple of weeks for Stark: he’s desperate to get back to work. Whenever we go outside he sits by the van hoping we’re heading back out on shift.
“We’re on a two-week firearms training course soon and he’s raring to go.
“The course aims to make sure Stark is comfortable in dynamic, busy incidents and will see us trained to a higher handling level. Ultimately it means he’ll be accredited to attend firearms jobs.”
Stark was on the trail of suspected burglars in Handsworth at 4am on 14 November when the teen emerged from his allotment hiding place with a machete.
The court heard how PC Hopley told the 16-year-old – who’s living in Handsworth – several times to put the weapon down but he continued to “swing the machete wildly”.
He rugby tackled the knifeman to the floor and Stark helped detain him in the allotments off Larch Avenue. The boy was arrested and charged days later after he’d received treatment for dog bites.